General Maxwell's Car

[Geoff S]

Hello,

I have a record by an Australian soldier of an incident that occurred in Cairo on Xmas eve , that resulted in General Maxwell's car being torched.

I quote

'The boys on Xmas Eve in Cairo stole a car from Gen Maxwell and after doing the rounds the car broke down next thing it was turned over & blazing brightly'.

Does anyone know of a reference to this incident?

I can't imagine Gen Maxwell was very happy over the loss of his car. I assume the good General documented his displeasure over his burnt out car somewhere.

And was it Xmas 1914,1915 or 1916?-

My guess is 1915- can anyone please confirm

Any help is much appreciated-thanks

Cheers

Geoff S

[michaeldr]

Geoff

If it happened then I think that it is most likely to have been Christmas 1915.

Maxwell left in March 1916 and by the time of the Easter Rising he was in Ireland.

[Perhaps the car incident persuaded him that it was time to go?]

The Aussies certainly knew how to celebrate. Edgar Rule MC., MM. in his book ‘Jacka’s Mob’ tells how everyone enjoyed Anzac Day 1916, except General Cox, the divisional commander; someone got into his tent and stole his whisky supply.

“A very stiff set of orders was issued to be read out to us the next day. I don’t know if the band was more humorous than it intended to be when, it marched around our camp at reveille in every conceivable state of undress, playing the march ‘Hold your hand out, naughty boy.’”

Hopefully someone else will be able to confirm the car story

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Geoff S]

Thanks Michael,

The incident definitely occurred. I have seen a private photograph of the upturned & burnt out car, with some Aussies & Enzed soldiers, standing around the wreck on Xmas morning. I am sure there would be no reason for this bloke to have been fabricated the whole story. I am trying to verify the incident for a friend.

So 1914 or 1915 are the only possible Xmas that this could have occurred. I concur on it being probably 1915. The 'boys' were most likely celebrating they had managed to get off the Peninsula,,amongst other things perhaps...

Does anyone remember reading about this incident. I guess it was probably not widely publicised in the Australian press. Perhaps it was in Maxwell's memoirs?

Cheers

Geoff S

[Geoff S]

Hello all,

I am re-posting my request, as I have still not been able to find any 'published' account of Gen. Maxwell memoirs. Perhaps he never wrote of his military service? Can anyone please confirm if this is correct?

On a related issue—I was reading some of my collection of journals/magazines (Reveille) from the early 1930's. They contain printed articles & stories relating to Australian veterans' service in the Great War & I stumbled upon this interesting reference:

"from June 1, 1933- Reveille"

'General Sir Archibald Murray, well known to the A.I.F by virtue of the position of G.O.C. of the Egyptian Force, believes that the "the less generals, who have been in command, say & write now, the better."

"You cannot write truly without hurting someone's feelings.,” he recently told "Reveille". apropos its request to him to for an article on his war reminiscences.

General Murray made it clear that he has not written for publication, and never will. All his papers of interest he has edited and sent to the British Museum, where they will be kept until 1940 before being made available to the public. "By that time," he concludes I shall probably be gone, and the papers may be of interest to the Historian."

In the original Expeditionary Force, General Murray was Chief of Staff to Sir John French, and was afterwards Chief of the Imperial Staff of the War office.

He is now living in retirement at "Makepeace," Park Lane, Reigate (Eng.).

So perhaps Gen Murray's predecessor in Egypt had a similar idea with respect to his military memoirs?

It is interesting that many key players in the conflict had no such aversion to writing their account of history. An interesting topic I am sure you have probably discussed many times in the past.

Cheers

Geoff S

[armourersergeant]

I beleive Murrays papers now reside at the IWM. I shall go and see them in the future for the info they may have regarding the retreat from Mons.

regards

Arm.